Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
IG vs PU Prime
IG vs PU Prime: the differences
| Compare |  IG |  PU Prime |
|---|---|---|
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Options, Futures, Crypto, Spread betting | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Metals |
| Regulators | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPCCovers more | SIPC |
| Investor protection | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 | SIPC up to USD 500,000 |
| Platforms | Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView | MT4, MT5, PU Web Trader, PU Prime mobile App |
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | $50 |
| Stock trade fee | £0 | Not confirmed |
| Account fee | €0 | Not confirmed |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 69% | Not confirmed |
| Maximum retail leverage | Not confirmed | 1:1000 |
| Interest on cash | 2.5% | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- IG scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 8.8.
- Regulators: only IG offers Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin).
- IG is licensed in 1 more country.
- Markets: only IG offers Options, Futures, Crypto.
- Markets: only PU Prime offers Metals.
- Platforms: only IG offers Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime.
- Platforms: only PU Prime offers MT4, MT5, PU Web Trader.
- Features: only IG offers Fractional shares.
- Features: only PU Prime offers Copy trading.
Our verdict on each
IG
IG suits traders who want shares, ETFs, forex, contracts for difference, options, futures, crypto and spread betting under a single roof, with an account fee of €0 and cash interest of 2.5% on uninvested balances. Share dealing runs commission-free, while the retail loss rate is 69%.
PU Prime
PU Prime is a US broker for beginners who want forex, CFDs and metals on MT4, MT5 or the PU Prime app, with copy trading and a demo account on the same platform. Its $50 entry sits above lighter $0 and $5 floors, and money is held under SIPC cover.
Score breakdown
| Area | IG | PU Prime |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3Higher | 8.7 |
| Offer | 9.6HigherCommission-free share dealing, a stock trade fee of £0, an account fee of €0 and cash interest of 2.5%. | 9.2 |
| Trust | 9.5Higher | 8.6 |
Side by side, item by item
| Markets | IG | PU Prime |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | No |
| Futures | Yes | No |
| Crypto | Yes | No |
| Metals | No | Yes |
| Spread betting | Yes | No |
Licences and countries
| Country | IG | PU Prime |
|---|---|---|
| United States | SIPC SIPC member 71021 | SIPC SIPC member 3337 |
| Germany | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) MiCA CASP 213800HFC5G4V293BN91 | Not confirmed |
Sources behind this comparison
IG
- ig.com: 8 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
PU Prime
- sipc.org: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- myfxbook.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- scribehow.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- kenmacro.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- puprimepartners.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | IG | PU Prime |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 48 of 471 | 182 of 471 |
| Forex brokers | 18 of 147 | 79 of 147 |
| Low-spread forex brokers | 16 of 145 | 77 of 145 |
| CFD brokers | 14 of 122 | 66 of 122 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | IG | PU Prime |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Demo account, Mobile app, Fractional shares | Demo account, Copy trading, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Not confirmed |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Beginners |
| Legal entity | IG Europe GmbH | TD PRIME SERVICES LLC |
| Headquarters | Germany | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Not confirmed | Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | IG | PU Prime | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | $50above the median | $25 |
| Stock trade fee | £0at the median | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Account fee | €0at the median | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 69%below the median | Not confirmed | 72.05% |
| Interest on cash | 2.5%below the median | Not confirmed | 3% |
Median across 134 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
IG
Pros
- Markets list stocks, etfs and forex, so shares, ETFs, forex, contracts for difference, options, futures, crypto and spread betting sit together.
- Regulated by Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and SIPC, with client protection of EU ICS up to EUR 20,000.
- Platform choice runs Mobile trading, L2 Dealer and ProRealTime.
Cons
- Retail accounts that lose money come to 69%.
- The commission-free model in commission free applies to share dealing, and it does not extend to trading costs on forex, contracts for difference, options or futures.
- Accounts sit with IG Europe GmbH in Germany, so compensation stops at EU ICS up to EUR 20,000.
PU Prime
Pros
- Covers forex, CFDs, metals, stocks and ETFs in one account (stocks, etfs and forex)
- Pick from MT4, MT5, PU Web Trader or the PU Prime mobile app (MT4, MT5 and PU Web Trader)
- A demo account and copy trading sit alongside the live accounts (demo account, copy trading and mobile app)
Cons
- The $50 entry is above the $0 and $5 starting points in this comparison
- Support runs through a help centre only, per help centre
- Retail trading losses run high across the site at 70.15%, so leverage of 1:1000 carries real risk
Who each suits
IG
Who it suits
- Traders who want stocks, etfs and forex reachable from the same account rather than several platforms.
- Share buyers who want dealing on a commission-free basis, since commission free covers their trades.
- EU clients who weight regulation and compensation, given Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and SIPC and EU ICS up to EUR 20,000.
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers who want a platform built around share dealing and crypto alone should compare CFI, whose stocks, etfs and forex is a shorter, simpler list.
- Investors priced in dollars rather than euros should weigh eToro, where the stock trade fee is $0.
- Anyone weighing only the account charge should know Vantage lists $0, so IG's €0 is not the only way to hold an account cheaply.
PU Prime
Who it suits
- Beginners building a first account on forex or CFDs
- Traders who want copy trading alongside manual deals
- Anyone happy to hold money with a US SIPC member rather than a UK or EU regulated firm
Who should look elsewhere
- CFI, if a $0 entry point matters more than US regulation
- eToro, if a wider market spread including crypto and futures fits a long term investor better
- Vantage, if a $5 floor suits a smaller first deposit
Questions about each
IG
What does it cost to trade shares with IG?+
Share dealing runs on a commission-free model, with a stock trade fee of £0 and an account fee of €0. Those are the two figures that matter for holding and trading, and both sit at the floor of the site tables. Trading costs on forex, contracts for difference, options and futures are quoted apart from share dealing.
Who regulates IG and is my money protected?+
The regulators are Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and SIPC, and the licences listed are MiCA CASP 213800HFC5G4V293BN91 and SIPC member 71021. Client protection in the EU is EU ICS up to EUR 20,000, so a claim against the firm is covered only up to that ceiling. Any balance above the cap is your own exposure.
PU Prime
What is the minimum deposit at PU Prime?+
The stated entry point is $50 for a new account. That sits above the $0 and $5 starting points in this comparison, so a first deposit has to be larger here than with either.
Is PU Prime regulated and is my money protected?+
Protection runs through SIPC up to USD 500,000, listed under SIPC. The membership is recorded as SIPC member 3337, so the holding company can be traced against a public register rather than a claim on the website.
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